Life action or animation? Depends on the brand! When we worked with Habitat for Humanity, we determined the best way to create content that connected with their audience and compelled them to take a specific action was by capturing emotion in real-life scenarios that others relate to. People connect with people, go figure!
When we meet new brands, we dive right into research that shows us who weโre trying to reach and what message we want to communicate. If youโre in an industry that is all about human connections, behavior, and all things human (like Habitat for Humanity), then at the center of your strategies must be real human emotions. Real smiles. Real struggles.
Authenticity is important when doing live-action filming simply because it matters to the audience. People dislike bad actors because they ruin a good story. One fake smile and your audience wonโt think twice and will continue scrolling, close the tab, or turn off the device. Bye!
Socialize Video Scripting Sessions: Where the Ideas Start Emerging
We wanted to start off by saying that before we started filming for Habitat for Humanity, we first had a scripting session with them because even though the overall goal was clear to them, they just werenโt sure what to say.
It can really help to have a professional guide you through a video structure.
A scripting session is an important part of the video creation process because it makes everything clear: the direction of the project, the budget, the tools to be used, the projectโs timeline, and many more. This is always where we start with new clients, and itโs always free, as we always learn so much about an unfamiliar industry and leave better informed.
You can schedule a free scripting session with us here if you are interested!
What We Shot and How Our Experience Got Our Client MORE
The most common question when it comes to filming video content: โHow long will I need to film?โ To which we say: far less time if you follow our planning process. Surprisingly, most of the work of a video shoot is planning and then post production. Because we had put together a solid plan, Habitat for Humanity was able to get the footage they needed with a half-day shoot. Within that half-day, we were able to film several interviews and footage clips of the families.
We needed to interview a family of four (two adults and two children) and another adult. With the family, we needed time to set up the shoot at the familyโs home.
To save time, we moved the camera angle slightly as we changed family members. This kept us from having to do a full scene change, which can take 15 to 30 minutes or more each time depending on how much equipment is used.
We filmed this family in their home and porch doing some activities they mentioned in the interview as well as grabbed an aerial shot. For this kind of content, youโre looking for variety in your clips as well as relevance in your subject matter.
The second location was right next door, which sped things up as well. Proper scheduling eliminated real travel, so there was enough time to get what we needed to create the videos Habitat for Humanity needed.
After filming interviews, we get some clips that will be used over top of them speaking. These are b-roll clips.
Tips for Interviewing People on Camera
Getting someone to speak on a camera depends a lot on the person, but experienced videographers (like the ones we work with) are able to move along efficiently.
When interviewing people, you need to keep in mind their comfort level. If theyโre nervous or more introverted, then you want to give them time to get acclimated and comfortable.
Sometimes, the person interviewing has to help them get lost in the conversation rather than speed through the question. Interviewing children usually takes more time as well. Sometimes, you have to ask questions in several ways to get usable statements.
Now, onto post-production, (also known as the editing process).
Post-Production With Socialize Video
After the shoot, the footage was transferred to one of our editors. With us, this is usually completed the night of the shoot.
Our editor then reviewed the script and other notes from the shoot. He is able to weave together the video according to our plan and the goal we originally outlined.
The entire process took about 5 weeks. That includes scripting, scheduling, filming at the locations, and all the editing with several rounds of revisions.
Hereโs the final video:
I Want Videos for My Brand, Too!
Video is only as effective as the strategy it supports! If youโre read to partner with video professionals who go beyond creating a video and actually build a strategy for your entire brandโฆsupported by video. you can check out our packages here!
With Socialize Video, weโll help you script and plan out your videos, find local professionals to do the filming, and then cut and edit your content into final marketing videos. Schedule your initial free scripting session!